Denice Zamboanga is one of two active champions from the Philippines in ONE Championship, holding the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA title.
Denice Zamboanga had a lot of on her shoulders when she battled Alyona Rassohyna for the interim belt in ONE Championship’s women’s atomweight division in MMA.
Not only was Zamboanga attempting to be the first-ever Filipina MMA champion in ONE Championship, but winning the title would also mean increasing the country’s championship haul in the Singapore-based promotion to two.
[READ: First of her name: Denice Zamboanga and her journey to become ONE’s first Filipina MMA champion]
Although a far cry from the Philippines’ previous golden age in ONE, when the Team Lakay dynasty was at its peak, Zamboanga’s big win triggered steps in the right direction for Philippine mixed martial arts.
In recent years, the Philippines has stalled in its success in ONE Championship.
Some years ago back in 2018, during the aforementioned Team Lakay’s dominance in the sport, the Philippines had a whopping five ONE Championship belts — belonging to Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Geje Eustaquio, Kevin Belingon, and Brandon Vera.
Now, only Pacio’s strawweight belt remains among those strap. And even Pacio had to endure a challenging road to regain his title.
But with Zamboanga’s resounding victory to begin 2025, there can only be improvement for the Philippines — especially in the eyes of the 27-year-old Quezon City native.
“Nung weeks before yung laban ko, or months pa nga eh, yun yung lagi ko iniisip. Kasi nga, si Joshua na lang yung champion sa Philippines, tapos every time, na tinatanong nila ako [sasabihin nila], Denice, dagdagan mo yung belt, ibalik yung belt, ipunin ulit natin,” Zamboanga told One Sports for Profiles.
“Kaya parang medyo nandun yung pressure, pero andun pa rin yung honor ko na, i-represent yung Philippines na kunin [ko yung panalo] para madagdagan yung belt ulit natin,” she added.
During the height of the Philippines' success in ONE Championship, Zamboanga was still relatively unknown, as she only entered the title conversation in 2020, two years since Team Lakay’s golden age.
But now with a next generation fighters entering the helm, like Jeremy Miado, Jean Claude Saclag, Islay Bomogao, Carlo Bumina-ang, and even Zamboanga’s husband Fritz Biagtan, she believes there is more success to come in the near future.
(After finally getting her own hands on a ONE Championship belt, Denice Zamboanga wants to lead a Philippine MMA renaissance)
Of course, she wants to be at the forefront when it all unfolds, especially when she guns for the undisputed title in August.
[RELATED: Denice Zamboanga puts friendship aside to chase Undisputed ONE title against Stamp Fairtex]
“Gusto ko na ibalik kung paano yung [status] natin before sa MMA, and naniniwala ako na mas marami pang aspiring fighters na makakakuha ng [championship] belt sa Philippines,” said Zamboanga.
“Maraming aspiring fighters, na new generation na makakapagdala pa ng belt.”